1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to electrical connectors and improvements thereto. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to mated pair coaxial connectors configured to mate in an offset position and improvements thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical connectors for interfacing between separated systems or electronic devices are widely used in the art. Conventional electrical connectors utilize a series of pins on a first half of the connector and a corresponding series of sockets on a second half of the connector. When the two halves are mated together, the sockets receive the pins in order to electrically connect and provide a conductive pathway through the electrical connector. Thus, when one system or electronic device is electrically coupled with the pins of the first half of the connector and a second system or electronic device is electrically coupled with the sockets of the second half of the connector, the two systems or devices may be electrically connected through the mated connector. Commonly, one or both halves of the connector are rigidly fastened with solder to printed circuit board (“PCB”) terminations, thus allowing signal propagation from one PCB to another.
Unfortunately, these rigid PCB connections as well as the connector interfaces can be easily damaged during mating of the pins of the first half of the mated pair connector to the sockets of the second half of the mated pair connector if even a small amount of misalignment exists between the two halves. Breaking the electrical connection at the PCB can result in malfunction of the equipment, damage to connecting systems or even pose significant safety concerns depending upon the operation of the circuit being interrupted. Moreover, as systems and devices increase in complexity, higher density electrical connectors capable of electrically connecting increasingly large numbers of signals with one another are used, further increasing the potential for even a single misalignment between a pin and a socket.
Some attempts to mitigate these risks have been made through the use of connectors that allow for some movement or self-alignment via spring elements during mating to protect the rigid PCB connections from suffering damage or breakage. However, such connectors introduce various problems for the circuit or signal integrity, including, for example, additional inductance and increased complications in impedance matching. These issues make the electrical connectors undesirable or impossible for a variety of circuits that require specific operational characteristics. Therefore, a need exists for an improved mated pair electrical connector that would allow for self-adjustment to combat potential misalignment during mating. Ideally, such an electrical connector would have a flexible or scalable design capable of a variety of configurations, would be inexpensive to manufacture, would be safe to use, and would allow for improved impedance matching or low interference with desired operational parameters.